The present invention relates to an air-floating belt conveyor device in which a belt is partially floated over a belt support to run by blowing air out of air outlets of the belt support.
JP-A-7-206122 discloses such a belt conveyor device having coaxial inner and outer tubes, an arcuate going path of an endless flexible belt which is wound between a pair of pulleys being passed through an inner tube, an arcuate return path being passed between the outer and inner tubes, running resistance of the belt being reduced by floating the belt by air which is blown out of air outlets which are formed at regular intervals at the lower part of the tubes.
There is a belt conveyor device in which going and return tubular belts are horizontally provided in parallel.
However, flow rate and pressure of air which is injected from the air outlet is not sufficient, so that the belt partially contacts on the belt support made of a steel pipe, thereby increasing running resistance of the belt significantly.